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Posts: 23084
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:36 pm
$1: It is a good thing that the World Junior hockey tournament did not last any longer. Another week, and we might have had a border war. Even as it was, I think we saw a different side of the normally placid, polite, patient good neighbors we thought we knew. Buffalo was invaded by a sea of red. The tide has receded, leaving behind some hard feelings, shattered stereotypes and an aftertaste as bad as the backwash from a warm Molson. Whatever happened to the polite, humble, rule-respecting folks we thought we knew? Where were the civic-minded citizens who dutifully wait at the street corner when the traffic light is red, even when no cars are coming? Wherever you are, we want you back. I am not sure if it was the insufferable sense of hockey superiority, or the pre-and post-game beers, but this tournament brought out the inner lout in a lot of Canadians. Arrogant, loud, drunk, obnoxious — if I didn’t know better, I would have thought that they were, well, Americans. From the guy arrested for punching an American fan at the USA-Canada game, to the sea of red that adopted any team that the USA played, to the drunken red-clad louts at the New Year’s Eve ball drop (staggering, middle-aged, red-clad lady I saw clutching a half-empty bottle of vodka, this means you), to the legions of lousy tippers at bars and restaurants — a lot of Canadians wore out their welcome long before Russia shattered their gold medal dreams. Believe me, there were not a lot of Buffalonians crying over that outcome. It was, well, dismaying. I have always enjoyed the peaceful co-existence and mutually advantageous relationship we have with our cold-climate cohorts. Buffalonians like our weekends in big-city Toronto. We enjoy the better side of Niagara Falls. Many of us appreciate cross-border culture, from the Shaw Festival to the Canadian ballet. We relish pounding on Toronto’s hockey team, one of the Sabres’ few longtime whipping boys. And we forgive Torontonians the sterile Rogers Centre, as it is the closest viewing site for WNY’s legion of Yankee fans. We even overlook their use of “eh” as punctuation and their affection for the underwhelming Peace Bridge. In return, Canadians like our 4 a.m. bar closing and our wings and the bargains at our malls and our City of Good Neighbors affability. As a demonstration of our generosity, we even share our football team with Toronto — although as gifts go, it ranks with the holiday fruitcake. Make no mistake, we were more than happy the past couple of weeks to have Canadians sleep in our hotel rooms, eat in our restaurants, drink in our bars and shop in our malls. We love the uncommon smell of outside dollars. All we ask is that you do not be obnoxious about it. In some cases, it was too much to ask. I talked to workers at a downtown bar/restaurant that will remain nameless, to protect the place’s cross-border business. By tournament’s end, they had disdain for all things emblazoned with a Maple Leaf. The main complaint, and this is not new, is a lot of Canadian hockey fans are awful tippers. “They would have a few beers and leave like a quarter or 50 cents,” said one bartender, who for job security reasons asked that his name not be used. “Servers said they were getting two-dollar tips on a $25 check.” OK, chronically bad tipping is not cause for a diplomatic crisis. But multiply it by a few thousand visitors, and you leave behind a lot of irritation. So I think it is a good thing that this thing is over. I look forward to getting back to our usual, cozy, mutually beneficial relationship. Aside from everything else, it is tough to stay mad at the nation that gave us Molson’s and Labatt’s, eh? desmonde@buffnews.com http://www.buffalonews.com/city/columns ... 307005.ece 
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:43 pm
I think it's a case of them seeing alot of Canadians they normally wouldn't through the year, lets face it every country has theri assholes, unfortunately allot of them showed up in Buffalo for this tournament.
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Posts: 35279
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:44 pm
Molson’s and Labatt’s??? Dear god, Canada/US relations are worst then I thought.
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Posts: 14139
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:48 pm
Bombarded by American TV, movies, news, and various other media, are you really surprised that some Canadians, especially those close to the border, act like some of you guys when you come over here? In all fairness though, with the still relatively free travel across the border, both countries are inevitably going to get visitors that are horrible unofficial ambassadors.
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Posts: 23084
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:49 pm
At least someone from Toronto fired back at this boob... $1: It’s a week after Canada left, and Buffalo is only now feeling safe enough to begin unboarding the windows and crawling out of the basement.
That’s the impression left in an out-of-left-field attack on Canadian honour by a columnist at the Buffalo News.
In purple tones, the piece – entitled “Disillusioned by Northern Neighbours” – paints Canadian fans as bunch of boozed-up hooligans who streamed over the border like the Visigoths advancing on Rome.
Among the damning criticisms: we don’t wait to turn right on red; we say “eh”; we like to take a drink; the Rogers Centre is ugly; we tip only two bucks on a $25 bar tab; someone punched someone else at a game.
Oh, Buffalo. We rescued your tournament from local apathy and crushing irrelevance and this is the thanks we get?
A visiting Swedish writer likened the city to something out of “28 Days Later (minus all the zombies).”
One of your own players – Ducks prospect and Team U.S.A. forward Emerson Etem – called Buffalo a “ghost town” and “the worst city ever.”
And you’re angry at us? Seriously?
What’d we do to get you so hysterical?
It is true that we showed up, injected hundreds of thousands of muscular Canadian dollars into your threadbare economy and rooted for our team. We’ll admit that.
We’re sorry. That was pretty awful.
There might have been a drunken incident or six. That’s possible. Since the end zone seats at a Bills home game generally resemble a Hieronymous Bosch painting, we thought you embraced that sort of high-spirited fun. That was foolish of us.
Are you hurt? Show us where it hurts. Because we’d like to kick it all better.
The most grating thing about the ad hominem broadside is not that Buffalo (or, at least, one writer from Buffalo and a couple of anonymous bartenders) doesn’t like us any more.
It’s that we’re stood up beside the groaning American stereotype of Canadians and then judged unworthy by comparison.
“I think we saw a different side of the normally placid, polite, patient, good neighbours we thought we knew,” the News’ Donn Esmonde writes, possibly while shorting out the keyboard with his bitter tears.
Yes (sigh) that’s us. Canada – the world’s agreeable doormat. I urge Americans who labour under this delusion to test its truth in a bar in Rimouski or Saint John or Hamilton. Remember, our medical care is universal. Our dentistry is not. So bring cash.
If any good can come out of this, it’s the death of the idea of the Polite Canadian in at least one American city.
For going on a century, we’ve put up with your jingoism and your insularity and your shocking ignorance of the world outside your borders. Yes, you won the Cold War. Yes, your economy is the foundation for our own. We can only say ‘Thank you’ so many times.
It’s become globally fashionable to kick uppity Canada lately. We took a hellacious amount of stick during the Vancouver Olympics for our Own the Podium initiative. Some people – notably Brits, Russians and a few cranky Americans – were put out that we got excited when we won.
If that’s a problem, then sadly, it’s your problem.
We’ve all taken a vote up here and we’ve decided that, in one sphere of life at least, we’re not going to play nice any more. That’s hockey.
Twelve years ago, after missing a pair of hockey golds in Nagano, we were in the midst of a cringingly Canadian crisis of confidence.
What changed?
The players didn’t get any better. The players have always been the world’s best.
The attitude changed. We collectively decided that while there is no shame in finishing second, it should not be a pre-tournament objective. This is Canada. We own this game.
We carry that feeling around with us now, like the statement of fact that it is. It’s no coincidence that in the decade since, we’ve enjoyed a level of unparalleled international success.
Maybe that’s what bothered you so much, Buffalo. As Americans, you’re not used to feeling overshadowed or overmatched. Which is funny. Since that’s something you taught us. http://www.thestar.com/printarticle/919250
Last edited by bootlegga on Tue Jan 11, 2011 3:04 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:53 pm
huh... I normally start at 25% as a benchmark for normal service, and go up or down based on quality of service.
I figured it was a typical west-coaster thing to do (girls in ontario seem surprised when they get anymore than 10 or 15). But I didn't think folks in Ontario were bad enough to give only 8% tips...
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Posts: 33691
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 2:59 pm
bootlegga bootlegga: At least someone from Toronto fired back at this boob... $1: It’s a week after Canada left, and Buffalo is only now feeling safe enough to begin unboarding the windows and crawling out of the basement. That’s the impression left in an out-of-left-field attack on Canadian honour by a columnist at the Buffalo News. In purple tones, the piece – entitled “Disillusioned by Northern Neighbours” – paints Canadian fans as bunch of boozed-up hooligans who streamed over the border like the Visigoths advancing on Rome. Among the damning criticisms: we don’t wait to turn right on red; we say “eh”; we like to take a drink; the Rogers Centre is ugly; we tip only two bucks on a $25 bar tab; someone punched someone else at a game. Oh, Buffalo. We rescued your tournament from local apathy and crushing irrelevance and this is the thanks we get? A visiting Swedish writer likened the city to something out of “28 Days Later (minus all the zombies).” One of your own players – Ducks prospect and Team U.S.A. forward Emerson Etem – called Buffalo a “ghost town” and “the worst city ever.” And you’re angry at us? Seriously? What’d we do to get you so hysterical? It is true that we showed up, injected hundreds of thousands of muscular Canadian dollars into your threadbare economy and rooted for our team. We’ll admit that. We’re sorry. That was pretty awful. There might have been a drunken incident or six. That’s possible. Since the end zone seats at a Bills home game generally resemble a Hieronymous Bosch painting, we thought you embraced that sort of high-spirited fun. That was foolish of us. Are you hurt? Show us where it hurts. Because we’d like to kick it all better. The most grating thing about the ad hominem broadside is not that Buffalo (or, at least, one writer from Buffalo and a couple of anonymous bartenders) doesn’t like us any more. It’s that we’re stood up beside the groaning American stereotype of Canadians and then judged unworthy by comparison. “I think we saw a different side of the normally placid, polite, patient, good neighbours we thought we knew,” the News’ Donn Esmonde writes, possibly while shorting out the keyboard with his bitter tears. Yes (sigh) that’s us. Canada – the world’s agreeable doormat. I urge Americans who labour under this delusion to test its truth in a bar in Rimouski or Saint John or Hamilton. Remember, our medical care is universal. Our dentistry is not. So bring cash. If any good can come out of this, it’s the death of the idea of the Polite Canadian in at least one American city. For going on a century, we’ve put up with your jingoism and your insularity and your shocking ignorance of the world outside your borders. Yes, you won the Cold War. Yes, your economy is the foundation for our own. We can only say ‘Thank you’ so many times. It’s become globally fashionable to kick uppity Canada lately. We took a hellacious amount of stick during the Vancouver Olympics for our Own the Podium initiative. Some people – notably Brits, Russians and a few cranky Americans – were put out that we got excited when we won. If that’s a problem, then sadly, it’s your problem. We’ve all taken a vote up here and we’ve decided that, in one sphere of life at least, we’re not going to play nice any more. That’s hockey. Twelve years ago, after missing a pair of hockey golds in Nagano, we were in the midst of a cringingly Canadian crisis of confidence. What changed? The players didn’t get any better. The players have always been the world’s best. The attitude changed. We collectively decided that while there is no shame in finishing second, it should not be a pre-tournament objective. This is Canada. We own this game. We carry that feeling around with us now, like the statement of fact that it is. It’s no coincidence that in the decade since, we’ve enjoyed a level of unparalleled international success. Maybe that’s what bothered you so much, Buffalo. As Americans, you’re not used to feeling overshadowed or overmatched. Which is funny. Since that’s something you taught us.[\quote] http://www.thestar.com/printarticle/919250 Thats a much better article ! Good, so we dont have to worry about the Juniors in Buffalo again, their loss.
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Posts: 53195
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 3:05 pm
The Star The Star: Are you hurt? Show us where it hurts. Because we’d like to kick it all better. OMFG! I so have to rip that one off! ROFLMAO That Buffalo reporter should come to any Canadian tourist town to see what we put up with from American tourists when they are sober!
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Posts: 35270
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 3:50 pm
Going to Buffalo brings out the worst in people. 
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Posts: 21665
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:02 pm
Well I can see the guy's point--road trips to sports events rarely bring out the best in people. It's the old "Instant Asshole--Just Add Alcohol" adage. The tipping thing is cultural. We expect the government to do that for us. 
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Posts: 15681
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:53 pm
So are Canadian hockey fans cheap knobs? I dunno, my trips to Buffalo haven't really opened me up to a population of sophisticated persons who are known for huge tips.
These guys thought that they hit the motherlode with all the Canadians. Apparently the seats were very expensive and these fans also put up with the border line-ups and the utter knobs that staff the US border check points. They were lucky we went.
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Posts: 23565
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:58 pm
bootlegga bootlegga: At least someone from Toronto fired back at this boob... $1: It’s a week after Canada left, and Buffalo is only now feeling safe enough to begin unboarding the windows and crawling out of the basement.
That’s the impression left in an out-of-left-field attack on Canadian honour by a columnist at the Buffalo News.
In purple tones, the piece – entitled “Disillusioned by Northern Neighbours” – paints Canadian fans as bunch of boozed-up hooligans who streamed over the border like the Visigoths advancing on Rome.
Among the damning criticisms: we don’t wait to turn right on red; we say “eh”; we like to take a drink; the Rogers Centre is ugly; we tip only two bucks on a $25 bar tab; someone punched someone else at a game.
Oh, Buffalo. We rescued your tournament from local apathy and crushing irrelevance and this is the thanks we get?
A visiting Swedish writer likened the city to something out of “28 Days Later (minus all the zombies).”
One of your own players – Ducks prospect and Team U.S.A. forward Emerson Etem – called Buffalo a “ghost town” and “the worst city ever.”
And you’re angry at us? Seriously?
What’d we do to get you so hysterical?
It is true that we showed up, injected hundreds of thousands of muscular Canadian dollars into your threadbare economy and rooted for our team. We’ll admit that.
We’re sorry. That was pretty awful.
There might have been a drunken incident or six. That’s possible. Since the end zone seats at a Bills home game generally resemble a Hieronymous Bosch painting, we thought you embraced that sort of high-spirited fun. That was foolish of us.
Are you hurt? Show us where it hurts. Because we’d like to kick it all better.
The most grating thing about the ad hominem broadside is not that Buffalo (or, at least, one writer from Buffalo and a couple of anonymous bartenders) doesn’t like us any more.
It’s that we’re stood up beside the groaning American stereotype of Canadians and then judged unworthy by comparison.
“I think we saw a different side of the normally placid, polite, patient, good neighbours we thought we knew,” the News’ Donn Esmonde writes, possibly while shorting out the keyboard with his bitter tears.
Yes (sigh) that’s us. Canada – the world’s agreeable doormat. I urge Americans who labour under this delusion to test its truth in a bar in Rimouski or Saint John or Hamilton. Remember, our medical care is universal. Our dentistry is not. So bring cash.
If any good can come out of this, it’s the death of the idea of the Polite Canadian in at least one American city.
For going on a century, we’ve put up with your jingoism and your insularity and your shocking ignorance of the world outside your borders. Yes, you won the Cold War. Yes, your economy is the foundation for our own. We can only say ‘Thank you’ so many times.
It’s become globally fashionable to kick uppity Canada lately. We took a hellacious amount of stick during the Vancouver Olympics for our Own the Podium initiative. Some people – notably Brits, Russians and a few cranky Americans – were put out that we got excited when we won.
If that’s a problem, then sadly, it’s your problem.
We’ve all taken a vote up here and we’ve decided that, in one sphere of life at least, we’re not going to play nice any more. That’s hockey.
Twelve years ago, after missing a pair of hockey golds in Nagano, we were in the midst of a cringingly Canadian crisis of confidence.
What changed?
The players didn’t get any better. The players have always been the world’s best.
The attitude changed. We collectively decided that while there is no shame in finishing second, it should not be a pre-tournament objective. This is Canada. We own this game.
We carry that feeling around with us now, like the statement of fact that it is. It’s no coincidence that in the decade since, we’ve enjoyed a level of unparalleled international success.
Maybe that’s what bothered you so much, Buffalo. As Americans, you’re not used to feeling overshadowed or overmatched. Which is funny. Since that’s something you taught us. http://www.thestar.com/printarticle/919250 Someone just made the long list of those who don't kiss ass, fit into tiny little preconceived pigeon holes, don't apologize for showing nationalism anti-Americans
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Posts: 65472
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:14 pm
PublicAnimalNo9 PublicAnimalNo9: Bombarded by American TV Blame yourselves for that one! Most US TV is made at least in part in Canada, written by Canadians, starring Canadians, and they almost all feature that little blurb in the closing credits about some tax credit from Canada. 
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Posts: 9914
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:17 pm
Canadian_Mind Canadian_Mind: huh... I normally start at 25% as a benchmark for normal service, and go up or down based on quality of service.
I figured it was a typical west-coaster thing to do (girls in ontario seem surprised when they get anymore than 10 or 15). But I didn't think folks in Ontario were bad enough to give only 8% tips... Maybe the service sucked and 8% was being generous? A tip is not automatic, it has to be earned by the server and the establishment as a whole. If the food isn't very good or the service is poor to okay, guess what, no tip was earned, no tip given. If the food is good and the service is good to excellent, then I give a pretty good tip. I'd never start at 25% though, that would be my top end actually and the food and service would have to have been exceptional to earn that.
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Posts: 23565
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 5:20 pm
QBC QBC: Canadian_Mind Canadian_Mind: huh... I normally start at 25% as a benchmark for normal service, and go up or down based on quality of service.
I figured it was a typical west-coaster thing to do (girls in ontario seem surprised when they get anymore than 10 or 15). But I didn't think folks in Ontario were bad enough to give only 8% tips... Maybe the service sucked and 8% was being generous? A tip is not automatic, it has to be earned by the server and the establishment as a whole. If the food isn't very good or the service is poor to okay, guess what, no tip was earned, no tip given. If the food is good and the service is good to excellent, then I give a pretty good tip. I'd never start at 25% though, that would be my top end actually and the food and service would have to have been exceptional to earn that. Americans, in my experience, pay their servers a pittance, so it is up to the servers to earn the tip even moreso than their Canadian equivalent. I find in our service industry here, again in my experience, servers who make a decent wage before tips don't go out of their way to earn great tips. Candians may be transfering that experience down south. That or we're too cheap or Yanks too arrogant in their expectations.
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